Gun deer season opening weekend numbers down from 2015

The gun deer season opening weekend harvest is down slightly from a year ago, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources,

Hunters registered 68,958 deer during the first two days of the gun deer season, which is a three percent decrease from 2015. According to preliminary data, 67 percent of the registered deer this year were bucks. 

Zone 1, in northeastern Minnesota, saw the biggest jump with a 16 percent increase of harvested deer, while Zone 3 in southeastern Minnesota dropped 28 percent.

Officials says it's too early to tell if the record-high temperatures had an impact.

DNR officials predict the total harvest this year will range from 165,000 to 185,000 deer. Last year's deer season totaled a little more than 159,000 deer.